Hello Everyone. Im about ready to take the mesa plunge...

[Jay22]

Yeah, I used to have friends that worked there so I always got hook ups on prices. Those days are over unfortunately.

Anyway...

Im leaning towards maybe an older Trem-o-verb head or maybe a roadster? Im going to have to play with a roadster head and see but I hear its a bit better than the rectifier series.

Trouble is finding an older rem-o-verb head. Ill eat the convenience of having three channels and go for tone instead with an older head.

Do the older dual and triple rectifier two channel heads sound the same as an old trem-o-verb? Its just an old dual recto 2 channel with some effects right?

 

[jdurso]

Yeah, I used to have friends that worked there so I always got hook ups on prices. Those days are over unfortunately.

Anyway...

Im leaning towards maybe an older Trem-o-verb head or maybe a roadster? Im going to have to play with a roadster head and see but I hear its a bit better than the rectifier series.

Trouble is finding an older rem-o-verb head. Ill eat the convenience of having three channels and go for tone instead with an older head.

Do the older dual and triple rectifier two channel heads sound the same as an old trem-o-verb? Its just an old dual recto 2 channel with some effects right?

well the roadster is the in the DR line as is the RK.... anway the roadster to me is a much better buy than a TR (unless its an older 2 channel if your just looking for distrotion)..... you would think 4 channels is excessive but once you have 4 your realize its actually really cool because you can do a lot more tone-wise..... i find the roadster to be voiced a little darker than your regular DR/TR..... the cleans are fantastic, especially the tweed mode when you pull back some volume on your guitar...... the whole buzzsaw frequency isnt as present... i think its still there a little but boogies are known to sizzle which is what i think that frequency is... some rectos just have more of it.... so for a new recto i would hands down go for a roadster

tremoverb is also a killer amp... again its darker than a regular DR/TR and can get more bluesy tones..... if i couldnt afford a new or used roadster i'd get a tremoverb or a older 2 channel TR.... BTW the tremoverb does have a different voicing to my ears when compaired to a 2 channel DR/TR.... like i said, its voiced a little darker which actually may work to your advantage because there is no buzzsaw freqency what so ever.... awesome amp, and probably one of the best Rectos of its time... also i found the tremoverbs clean channel to sound a little better than a regular 2 channel recto

again if you can afford a new roadster i'd go that route..... the best recto out there right now aside from the RK..... if you do go to try the roadster check out the manual first for the settings they have in the back of it... bring a few with you as a point of reference because the roadster's controls are a little different from a regular DR..... also make sure you have the settings you want in the back of the amp (ie wattage, tubes) and lastly i would try it first with the fx hardbypass on this way your hearing the amp without the fx loop in the way.... good luck

 

[Jay22]

Thanks a lot. Ill go play with them and see. I went back and played with the new triple recto again with a used cab and that buzzsaw sound was just to much. I really wasnt digging it. I then found out that the band that is really turning me on to rectos actually uses a trem o verb, and what I believe to be another dual rectifier, probably an older two channel one. The sound to me is just amazing all around in clean, half way distorted and full on distortion.

Its the band called COG. They are from Australia and thats what the guy uses. The tones are just amazing. You can check them out here...


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1994718544624051976&q=cog+the+spine&total=8&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

 

[jdurso]

Thanks a lot. Ill go play with them and see. I went back and played with the new triple recto again with a used cab and that buzzsaw sound was just to much. I really wasnt digging it. I then found out that the band that is really turning me on to rectos actually uses a trem o verb, and what I believe to be another dual rectifier, probably an older two channel one. The sound to me is just amazing all around in clean, half way distorted and full on distortion.

Its the band called COG. They are from Australia and thats what the guy uses. The tones are just amazing. You can check them out here...


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1994718544624051976&q=cog+the+spine&total=8&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

ill check it out when i get home from work.... work blocks just about everything but the boogie board... for now

 

[jdurso]

definitely liking COG... they remind me a lot of Pulse Ultra who is one of my favorite modern prog/hard rock bands (even though they broke up after 1 album).... actually i'd check out dominic cifarelli's stuff if you get a chance you might like PU and his solo stuff..... onto the amps

he definitely has a tremoverb up there with what looks like a triple rec.... now he could be using the TR as a second amp for diffent tones or the tremoverb may be slaving the TR so he can use his fx in stereo.... BTW his sound is very wet which if digital will smooth out things a little.... none the less its definitely a tremoverb which may or maynot be slaving the triple to power the orange cab and/or for a stereo fx setup...... if your going after his tone id find out what he's using for fx because his sound is drenched and personally i love it.... reminds me of billy howerdel.... tons of reverb and delay mixed with a dry signal..... btw check out ashes divide too... its billy's new project... not quite APC but **** good

 

[jdurso]

i just watched their video for bird of feather.... btw awesome song.... he's definitely playing a road king.... he uses a lot of different tones so a roadster would be a great buy if you going after that type vibe

 

[Jay22]

Awesome. Yes, he runs a delay pedal and a ton of reverb actually right off of the head, i mean the onboard reverb. Theres the tube screamer as well that he uses for that extra punch. Just a tone of reverb.

I will check that stuff out, and I do like howerdells new stuff. I always liked him as a musician.

 

[jdurso]

Awesome. Yes, he runs a delay pedal and a ton of reverb actually right off of the head, i mean the onboard reverb. Theres the tube screamer as well that he uses for that extra punch. Just a tone of reverb.

I will check that stuff out, and I do like howerdells new stuff. I always liked him as a musician.

on some of the recording too there are some sounds that sound very eventide.... awesome band thanks for introducing me to them

 

[Jay22]

no problem. their album "the new normal" is my favorite and is much different than their new album with "bird of feather" on it. The tones im mainly referring to are on the album "the new normal" in which the video i posted is on that album.

So he is for sure using a road king on the new record then?
Cool.


I havent heard much of that one yet. Im going to have a listen here soon.

 

[Jay22]

Alright. For a road king. First off, what is the difference between "series I' and "Series II"?

Because I found this right here.

Also, is the speaker configuration in the cabinet something they do for the road king cabs or did this guy just decide to switch some stuff around...


http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Road-King-Series-1-Head-and-4x12-Cabinet_W0QQitemZ310038428774QQihZ021QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[jdurso]

Alright. For a road king. First off, what is the difference between "series I' and "Series II"?

Because I found this right here.

Also, is the speaker configuration in the cabinet something they do for the road king cabs or did this guy just decide to switch some stuff around...


http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Road-King-Series-1-Head-and-4x12-Cabinet_W0QQitemZ310038428774QQihZ021QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

cant see the auction because im at work but the RKIIs have a better clean using the lonestar circuit, both fx loops are serial instead of one of each, and the reverb is now tube driven like the lonestar.... both have the same channel 3 and 4 ..... none the less great amp

as for the cab the rK cabs are half open half closed with c90s in the open and v30s in the closed sections.

 

[jdurso]

Alright. For a road king. First off, what is the difference between "series I' and "Series II"?

Because I found this right here.

Also, is the speaker configuration in the cabinet something they do for the road king cabs or did this guy just decide to switch some stuff around...


http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Road-King-Series-1-Head-and-4x12-Cabinet_W0QQitemZ310038428774QQihZ021QQcategoryZ10171QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

if you can get it for that price and its truly barely used than its a good deal.... that cab new is 900 so your getting the head essentially for 1500.... are you in or around NJ? because shipping is going to eb killer on that package

 

[Jay22]

Unfortunately no im not near NJ. I would have to pay a couple hundred bucks to have it shipped.

 

[jdurso]

Unfortunately no im not near NJ. I would have to pay a couple hundred bucks to have it shipped.

i would be patient and try and find a deal for just the head.... cabs are way too expensive to ship.... i suggest craigslist if your buying new or if your near LA head on over to Mesa hollywood

 

[Jay22]

Im stuck in michigan. Its tough to find a good used deal here.

I can find cheap marshalls all day long. I just found a jcm 2000 TSL for 600 bucks. And the guy will take 550 so thats nice. But mesa stuff, no way. Im might just bite the bullet and save up for a new road king rig or roadster rig. I've got a bunch of other stuff to take care of and if Im going mesa, Id rather
just get the best one that suits me instead of making compromises in place of price.

It sucks that Ill have to wait but Ill be happier in the end so its worth it.

 

[jdurso]

Im stuck in michigan. Its tough to find a good used deal here.

I can find cheap marshalls all day long. I just found a jcm 2000 TSL for 600 bucks. And the guy will take 550 so thats nice. But mesa stuff, no way. Im might just bite the bullet and save up for a new road king rig or roadster rig. I've got a bunch of other stuff to take care of and if Im going mesa, Id rather
just get the best one that suits me instead of making compromises in place of price.

It sucks that Ill have to wait but Ill be happier in the end so its worth it.

if money is not a big issue than yeah i'd go new and just wait the 8-10 weeks itll take to get to you..... i would definitely consider whether you need all the bells and whistles of the RK because compared to one another tone wise (as long as the RK is using all 6l6s) they sound almost identical.... if you think thought hat you'll use the progressive tube linkage just go with the RK..... i would consider though finding a cab locally and getting the head new... i would check out harmony central and remember mesa's go great with a bunch of different cabs such as the VHT FB/Delivernce cabs, Orange, Diezel, Bogner, Basson, Splawn.... you can end up saving yourself a few hundred getting a used cab locally than getting it new and paying the shipping

 

[Jay22]

Yeah for sure. It all sounds good. The local GC actually has most mesa heads in stock and they have both a roadster and a road king there now. Its just the money issue. I think Ill wait and get one of those. Im gonna go check it all out and make sure I want it. Ill compare the RK and Roadster and see if its something I really need. I doubt it tho. Basically Im going to play with the channels and see what i like better, 6l6 tubes or EL34's. Then Ill probably either change the tubes in the roadster or leave them the same, depending on which one I like better.

 

[jdurso]

Yeah for sure. It all sounds good. The local GC actually has most mesa heads in stock and they have both a roadster and a road king there now. Its just the money issue. I think Ill wait and get one of those. Im gonna go check it all out and make sure I want it. Ill compare the RK and Roadster and see if its something I really need. I doubt it tho. Basically Im going to play with the channels and see what i like better, 6l6 tubes or EL34's. Then Ill probably either change the tubes in the roadster or leave them the same, depending on which one I like better.

thats the best way to do it.... thats what lead to me buying the roadster.... i had no intention of a new amp until i was stuck in southern cal on a 4 week business trip (4 weeks in just hotels sucks by the way)... anyway to kill the boredom on weekends and my itching to play i found almost every guitar shop in the LA area..... i found myself at Mesa Hollywood and Bass Xchange more than once..... i played ENGLs, Diezels, Bogners, VHTs, etc at Bass Xchnage which gave me a great idea of what was out there and finally after playing the road king one of the guys at mesa hollywood told me to give the roadster a try because it was relatively new at that time..... he set me up with an A/B box and left me there for about 2 hrs.... after playing through all those high end amps and going back and forth between the roadster and road king (and weighing in my mind if the 3500 for the engl se was worth it) i ended up dead set on the roadster.... if i had 3500 to spare i probably would have went with the engl because i love the integrated midi system but i already knew i could get a switcher for much less than the difference...... long story short the best way to decide is to just play the **** out of as many amps as you can and go from there..... lastly before you go check out the manuals for both and bring a few of those settings from the back of the manual..... i wish i had because it would have saved me a lot of time

 

[Jay22]

I definitely will take some settings with me for sure.

Also, you mentioned a switcher. I've always used rack gear in the past so my preamps were midi enabled. (Marshall JMP-1)

So I could run a rack effects unit and control both the preamp and effects at once. You know, press one button and switch to patch 5 on the preamp and switch to a delay/chorus on the effects unit at the same time.

I cant do that with a head, and I always dump delay, chorus and reverb on my clean channel. Is there a way to do this with a triple rec/roadster head?

Like, have some sort of controller that would simultaneously change the head to channel one while activating a few pedals or maybe a certain patch on a rack effects unit?

 

[jdurso]

I definitely will take some settings with me for sure.

Also, you mentioned a switcher. I've always used rack gear in the past so my preamps were midi enabled. (Marshall JMP-1)

So I could run a rack effects unit and control both the preamp and effects at once. You know, press one button and switch to patch 5 on the preamp and switch to a delay/chorus on the effects unit at the same time.

I cant do that with a head, and I always dump delay, chorus and reverb on my clean channel. Is there a way to do this with a triple rec/roadster head?

Like, have some sort of controller that would simultaneously change the head to channel one while activating a few pedals or maybe a certain patch on a rack effects unit?

yes.... i call those units midi switchers (not sure of the real name) but i highly recommend the rjm amp gizmo..... it can control up to 8 channels/functions (ie 4 channels on roadster plus the reverb, fx loop, solo, and mute controls).... so the amp gizmo is a perfect fit for the roadster plus they're not too expensive ... it basically turns any amp into a fully midi integrated amp

RJM also have the rg-16 (which i will be getting soon) that can control 8 channels/functions and it also has 8 loops for fx.... it has a buffered input loop so you can run ods/eqs in front of the amp as well as parrellel and serial loops..... this way you can throw all your pedals in a rack and just have a midi pedal on the floor (with your wah or whammy)..... also it allows you to control any midi capable fx unit.... this allows you to create your own patches using a real tube amp, real pedals and fx .... its like having a modelling amp except with the real amp(s) and the real fx, not knockoffs.... also they sell cables specially for the roadster (or just about any amp) so you dont have to use the switching jacks on your amp..... with the rg-16 and these special cables (that plugs into the footswitch jack on your amp) you can actually control 2 amps not just one... also i believe if setup correctly the rg-16 can also work as an a/b switch if you run two amps.... a unit liek that for 599 USD??? no question a killer value especial compared to what the competition sells theirs for.... here's a link to the site if your interested

http://www.rjmmusic.com/